|
Sunday, February 08, 2004
Ancheta defends daughter
By Ben C. Erto
LINGAYEN -- Board Member Manuel Ancheta deplored an allegation that her daughter is involved in faking his signature in two questionable vouchers that came from his office.
“The voucher is dated December but she was no longer the chief of staff in my office. So she could never have signed it,” he said.
Ancheta said he would file a separate case aside from the case that the three-man special investigation committee would file against suspects found involved in the anomalous transactions.
Two other falsified vouchers from the office of Board Member Nestor Reyes were also encashed.
Ancheta said that in his personal investigation of the case, the suspects are staff members working in the office of Board Member Charizma Salud Carancho and three employees at the secretariat of the provincial legislature.
Radio news reporters “should verify first before implicating my daughter in the falsification of documents case,” he said.
A preliminary investigation conducted by the Office of the Provincial Accountant disclosed that all signatures in the four vouchers were falsified.
Lawyer Geraldine Baniqued, provincial legal officer, said upon learning of the case, he immediately called the personnel of the accounting office to tell him how they came to discover about the four questionable vouchers and subsequently to execute sworn statements.
She told the special investigation committee created by Vice Gov. Oscar Lambino that she likewise summoned the personnel of the treasury office to find out to whom the vouchers were paid to.
“We have verified from the treasury office that the personnel who encashed the vouchers are from the Sanggunian secretariat,” she said.
Baniqued also told the investigation panel headed by Board Member John Agerico Rosario that her committee could not investigate and hear the case because the personnel involved in the fake voucher scam are not appointees of the governor.
Administrative Order 002-s 2004 also designated Board Members Danilo Dizon and Ernesto Bravo as members of the investigation panel.
During the first hearing of the special committee on Friday right after the conduct of the regular session of the provincial legislature, Rosario said the panel received a sworn statement from Roxanne Camba, accounting clerk II; Cecilia Bautista, bookkeeper I; Eduardo Sison, cashier III; and Deborah Cruz, disbursing officer.
The personnel from the accounting and treasury offices stated, among others, how the vouchers were falsified.
Rosario said the case should be investigated by a special legislative committee because the alleged perpetrators are under the supervision and direct control of the vice governor.
Citing the provision of Paragraph c, Section 62 of the Local Government Code, he said administrative cases should only apply to elective officials.
The chairman ordered the accounting office to submit before the panel certified true copies of the questioned vouchers.
He likewise asked Ancheta and Reyes to execute a written statement as basis in proceeding with the investigation.
Rosario also invited the staffs in the offices of the provincial secretariat, budget and accounting to shed light on the case.
(February 8, 2004 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
|
